Auxiliary rack for use with display racks



Oct. 22, 1957 w. H. KALHORN AUXILIARY RACK FOR USE WITH DISPLAY RACKS Filed June 21, 1954 INVENTOR. MY/Ord /7. Ka/hom.

ATTORNEYS.

V 7 2,810,483 AUXILIARY RACK 'FOR USE WITH'DISPLAY RACKS Willard H. Kalliorn, Kansas City, M0,, 'assignor to Hall- 'mark Cards, Incorporated, Kansas'zGity, Mm, a corporation ofMissouri 7 Application June 21, 1954, Serial Nq..4ss,-s0 Cla ms. (01. 211-50 have substantially the same relative prominence-in the display and consequently -it;is diff cult -to highlight-any .one card. This is also true in more or less degree with other typesof racks.

Therefore, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple auxiliary-r ack that ;is y

adapted for attachment to a primary rack for highlighting certain cards or articles pf: merchandise.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an auxiliary rack that is a'd'ap'tedfor suppoft between the sides of adjacentdisplay-racks,-thereby-utilizing space -;that has -'not beenused;-toprovide-anauxiliaryrack that does not objectionably conceal or--interfere with display of adjacent card's'i'n the-primar-y-racks; toprovide anauxiliary rack having supports-for presenting the cards therein'fat right angles to the -lines' of vision in theisamejmanner as the support bf the-cardsin the primary "rack;,to provide an auxiliary rack havingcard sup orts that project the cards outwardly and forwardly from the main display; and to provide an auxiliary rack with attaching means for engaging parts of the primary rack so as to automatically present the cards in the desired position.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an auxiliary rack constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing support thereof by adjacent primary racks.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the auxiliary rack with parts of the primary racks broken away to better illustrate the construction and support of the auxiliary rack.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section through a portion of one of the primary racks showing the support of the auxiliary rack. 7

Referring more in detail to the drawings and first to the form of auxiliary rack shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive:

1 designates an auxiliary rack constructed in accordance with the invention and which includes a bracket which may be formed of a flat sheet metal 'starnpin or of a wire bent to shape to provide a shank 3 havin forwardly extending arms 4 and 5 terminating in lateral flanges 6 and 7 for attaching holders or receptacles 8 and 9 as later described. The shank portion 3 of the bracket 2 is joined with the arms 4 and 5 on rounding curves 10 and 11. Formed in opposite side edges of the shank are notches 12 and 13 to accommodate fastening devices such as screws (not shown) in case the bracket is to be attached to the side of an end-most primary rack. Extending laterally from the arms 4 and 5 are lugs 14 and ice 15 adapted to seat on the front edges of the. primary rack as "laterdescribed; The upper lug 15 terminates in a rearwardrly extending hook l6i'that is adapted totengage over a front railofione of the primary racks to support the auxiliary rackzvertically between the sprimary racks while the lugs14 and 15 support the bracket 'with the holders 8 and '9 in spaced relation with thefifrontsiofithe primary racks. i i

. The holdersl8 and 9 in thisi'form of the 'invention 'are sforme'd of sheet rnetal and each has a generally irectangu- -lar back-or easel portion '17 having arounding' uppenedge 18 and a shelf 19 extending forwardly f rorn the- -.lower edge :to terminate 1111 an upwardly extendingfront'rail ztl, for forming a-ipocket. The'rai1 20 cooperates with the back '17 and 5 shelf: 19 to rseat the lower-marginal portion of a1 -pac'ksofrccards or. similar' rnechandise as lat'er d" scribed. 'llhe'zback J17; shelf119 and the front rail be formed of a single sheet of metalsbent transversely o'n lin'esiof fold 21-and 22;

Fixed "t'o'lthe front of the rail is a label or-name plate '25; :whichFmayp'bear.any Tsuit able mat'erial pertaining fto .the cards on display. lihe labels -mayr-be fixedfito t-he frontiof-"the railiin anytsuitable manner but in the illustrated instance-dire labels are formed of sheet material sha'pedto tconf'orm' withi the rail and are secured thereto by fastening':devices :such 'ras 'rivets 24. I

- -Z[n:order to sup port the1-cards ina sidew is'e direction,

and sprevent any lateral disarrangement, thefiback rest 1'7 is ;preferably cprovided .zwi'th forwardly extending fing'ers 25 randr26-lvvhich arefiofilike construction in that they include shanks :Z'I' and- 28 extending laterally from the 'ea'rsrthrough faniupper and lower series of loops 29 and 33) that :are stamped fromf-the metal of the' bac'k rest as -best s'hownin Fig. -2i l V The sets of loops 29 and -iifl ar e'bfise'tlwithr es'pect to each {other in order ithat ithe shanks I may be of a length to :give a'amaxlmumrspacing of the finge'rs 25 and-26 and to prevent interference whenth'e shanks slld'e past each other ing accommodating fithe tears :to relatively narrow wards. The fingers, however, are in the same relative position horizontally since the shanks are attached near one edge of the ears. Then when the shanks are inserted in the loops they are reversed with respect to each other to bring the ears in horizontal alignment.

While the auxiliary rack may be used on various primary racks it is especially useful in connection with racks of the type disclosed in the above mentioned patent, however, they will be briefly described as follows in order to give a better understanding of the manner in which the auxiliary racks are used.

Each rack includes side walls 31 and 32 having a generally upwardly and rearwardly sloping front edge 33, following the eye vision contour of the racks and having substantially fiat outer faces 34 whereby the end of one rack may abut the end of another rack as shown in Fig. 3, the side walls of the racks carry therebetween a plurality of transverse back rests 35 and shelf members 36 in the manner of a series of steps as shown in Fig. 3, and which form supports for cards on display. The cards are retained by front rails 37. V

In mounting the auxiliary racks, the primary racks are moved apart a suflicient distance to pass the shanks 3 of the brackets therebetween so that the lugs 14 and 15 seat upon the curved edges 33 of one of the racks as shown 7 in Fig. 2, while the hook 16 engages over the upper edge of one of the front rails 37 to support the rack in desired vertical relation. The cards to be featured are then placed in their respective holders 8 and 9 and the fingers 25 and 26. are adjusted to engage the sides ofthe-cards to hold the pack in orderly condition.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an auxiliary rack for greeting cards and similar merchan- 'an eye vision rack. I J

" What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Paten t is: 1;.An auxiliary rack including a substantially flat shank portion having forwardly extending arms. at respective ends of the shank portion, stops extending laterally from said arms, a hook projecting from one of said stops, a holder having a back portion fixed to one of said arms, a shelf portion on the lower edge of the back portion and a front rail portion cooperating with the back portion to form a pocket therebetween,said back portion having guide loops, and side members having shanks slidably engaging in said loops.

2. An auxiliary rack including a substantially flat shank portion having 7 forwardly extending arms at respective ends of the shank portion, stops extending laterally from said arms, a hook projecting from one of said stops, a holder having a back portion fixed to one of said arms, a shelf portion on the lower edge of the back portion and a front rail portion cooperating with the back portion to form a pocket therebetween, one portion of the holder having guide channels, and side members having shanks slidably engaging in said guide channels.

1 3. An auxiliary rack for support by a primary display rack, including a shank portion having forwardly extending arms at respective ends of said shank portion, stops fixed relative to said arms and extending laterally thereof, means fixed relative to said shank portion for cooperation with the stops in engagement with a primary rack for supporting the auxiliary rack thereon, a holder having a back portion fixed to one of said arms, a shelf portion on the lower edge of the back portion and a front rail portion cooperating with the back portion to form a pocket 'therebetween, one portion of the holder having guide channels, and side members having shanks slidably eu-1 gaging in said guide channels.

4. An auxiliary rack supported by a primary display rack having longitudinal display shelves and front rails arranged in rearwardly and upwardly stepped relation and carried by side members, said auxiliary rack including a I y i 4 shank portion having forwardly extending arms at respective ends of said shank portion, stops fixed relative to said shank portion and extending laterally thereof, a hook fixed relative one of the arms for engaging over a front rail of the primary rack and for cooperation with the engagement of the stops with said primaryrack for supporting the auxiliary rack thereon, a holder having a back portion fixed to one of said arms, a shelf portion on the lower edge of the back portion and a front rail portion cooperating with the back portion to form a pocket therebetween, one portion of the holder having guide channels, and side members having shanks slidably engaging in said guide channels.

5. An auxiliary rack supported by a primary display rack having longitudinal display shelves and front rails arranged in rearwardly and upwardly stepped relation and carried by side members, said auxiliary rack including a shank portion having a plurality of forwardly extending arms spaced along said shank portion, stops fixed relative to said shank portion and extending laterally thereof, means fixed relative to said shank portion for cooperation with the stops in engagement with a primary rack for sup porting the auxiliary rack thereon, a holder for each arm and having a back portion fixed to the respective arm, a shelf portion on the lower edge of the respective back portion and a front rail portion cooperating with the re spective back portion to form a pocket therebetween, one portion of each holder having guide channels, and side members for the respective holders having shanks slidably engaging in said guide channels thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,501,087 Anderson July 15, 1924 1,515,058 Lindhe Nov. 11, 1924 1,997,829 McKee Apr. 16,1935 2,040,135 Kress May 12, 1936 2,067,051 Hall Jan. 5, 1937 2,221,659 Wilkie Nov. 12, 1940 2,252,025 Olson Aug. 12, 1941 Thomson June 2, 1953 

